StooltimeCounseling's Blog

What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895... Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?

This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina , Kansas , USA . It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina , and reprinted by the Salina Journal. 8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS - 1895

Grammar (Time, one hour)

1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters.

2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications.

3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph

4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of 'lie,''play,' and 'run.'

5. Define case; illustrate each case.

6 What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation.

7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic (Time,1 hour 15 minutes)

1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.

2. A wagon box is 2 ft. Deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. Wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?

3. If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs. For tare?

4. District No 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?

5. Find the cost of 6,720 lbs. Coal at $6.00 per ton.

6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.

7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. Long at $20 per metre?

8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.

9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods?

10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt

U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)

1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided

2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus

3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.

4. Show the territorial growth of the United States

5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas

6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.

7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton , Bell , Lincoln , Penn, and Howe?

8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.

syllabication

Orthography (Time, one hour) [Do we even know what this is??]

1. What is meant by the following: alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology,

2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?

3. What are the following, and give examples of each: trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals

4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH?)

5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two exceptions under each rule.

6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.

7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis-mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.

8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.

9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane , vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.

10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.

Geography (Time, one hour)

1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?

2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas ?

3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?

4. Describe the mountains of North America

5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia , Odessa , Denver , Manitoba , Hecla , Yukon , St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco .

6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.

7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.

8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?

9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.

10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.

Notice that the exam took FIVE HOURS to complete. Gives the saying 'he only had an 8th grade education' a whole new meaning, doesn't it?! -------------------------------------------------------
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Believe it or not!

One of the presidential campaign slogans in 1928 was, "A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage". It worked to get Herbert Hoover elected as our 30th president in 1929.

Fast forward to today. What kind of idealistic campaign slogans are being made by the presidential candidates in 2008?

Once these idealistic slogans are identified, ask yourself the question: Do you buy into them?

It has been said by Dr. Leo Bascaglia, now deceased, but once a prominent self-help guru, that thinking idealistically helps to keep you young in a world that can rattle your cage at any given moment. 

Does idealism work in politics, though? It has its way of getting people elected as president, but what happens after the election? It's a seven letter word called, REALITY.

Think about the difference between idealism and reality come the November election. There's a time and place to be idealistic, and a time and place to be realistic. I'm having a difficult time figuring out how idealism works in the world of politics.

Can someone who is politically idealistic help me out?

By the way, despite the slogan of a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage in 1928, the United States became engulfed in the Great Depression when the stock market crashed on October 29th, 1929.

I'm much more inclined to vote for the candidate who can tell me how America will confront adversity and nurture its prosperity, both of which are underscored by the liberties, freedoms and responsibilities afforded to every American citizen. That might take some deliberate thought. I look forward to the debates between Senators McCain and Obama.

One of my jobs is at Easter Seals so I had the opportunity to volunteer to work the main gate at Warwick Hills on Sunday, June 29th, 2008 for the 50th anniversary of the Buick Open. Denise Durkee from Easter Seals helped coordinate some of the behind-the-scene jobs at the tournament. I invited my future father-in-law, Rob, to join me. We both had a blast mingling with Buick Open staff and many of the people who came to the event (23,000 pairings brochures were printed and distributed for round 4 on Sunday alone), despite Tiger Woods not showing because of a bum knee.

Congratulations to the winner, Kenny Perry (19 under par) and runners up, Woody Austin and Bubba Watson (both 18 under par).

Rob and I nicknamed the 18th hole the "voodoo" hole. It was either "voodoo" or that darn gopher from the movie, Caddy Shack, playing tricks with all the putts made by the golfers. We sat in the stands at the 18th hole after our morning shift of collecting tickets and checking bags at the main gate.  The 18th hole was not friendly to the golfers. Other than Scott Verplank, who shot a 40 foot, 6 inch putt, and somebody else who sank a 31 footer, other golfers found the hole very tricky.The 18th hole looked like a 2 or 3 putt hole for most of the golfers, and every extra putt meant less money for the pros who shot them. 

Sunday morning started out rainy, but as the day progressed, the sun began to show through the clouds making it a very nice day to play golf and watch it as the pros showed off their skills. I'd like to thank Easter Seals for giving me the opportunity to volunteer to work at the Buick Open, Rob for joining me and all the people who walked through the main gate while I worked. I realize it wasn't always pleasant to either check in your cell phone, cameras or other electronic equipment at the gate or walk them back to your car because they were not allowed on the course. We had to check the sleeves on all folding chairs, too. It wasn't always well received by the guests even though doing such things at public events is now a common practice, based on homeland security policy.

Sunday was an awesome day at the Buick Open, especially for the winner of the tournament, Kenny Perry.

For people who think the Bush tax cuts are only for the rich, consider this: If the Bush tax cuts do not continue after they expire, a family of four with an annual household income of $50,000.00 will pay $2,500.00 more per year in taxes. That's about $220.00 per month. The Bush tax cuts are helping anybody who has gainful employment and pays taxes.

Obama says he will not financially penalize the middle class, only the rich. Why is there so much animosity for people who have achieved wealth in our country? Why does being rich need to be punished? I don't get it. Are people mad at rich people because there's a stereotype that rich people are snobs? Not all rich people are snobs. Some have a sense of entitlement, but so do some people in all classes.

I, for one, have a different definition for real wealth. It's not based on how much money I earn. Real wealth is being content with what I have. This could mean acknowledging the value of my family, friends, social network, having the freedom to express my opinions on Fox 2 blogs, my ability to work and earn a livelihood, etc.

Why punish people who have more money than me? From where is the anger coming? Why punish the family of four with a household income of $50,000.00 by letting the Bush tax cuts expire? 

Financial expert, Dave Ramsey, had an interesting, but jokingly sarcastic, take on the price for a gallon of gasoline vs. water vs. coffee.

Currently, a gallon of gasoline costs about $4.00 a gallon. Water goes for $1.00 a bottle. That translates to $16.00 a gallon for bottled water. Some would argue that we need both. Try driving a car without gasoline. Try living more than a few days without water.

A specialty cup of coffee at Starbucks goes for about $5.00. That translates to over $50.00 a gallon for coffee. It's safe to say the human body does not need coffee like it does water.

Maybe we should go after Big Water and Big Coffee after we go after Big Oil.

In the end, we all make choices. We have to ask ourselves if the choices we make cause us to panic?

Choose to conserve (gasoline) in ways that work and mean something to you. It just may lessen the panic factor. The choices we make as consumers drive the free market as well.

I am asking this question in the midst of suffering extreme hockey withdrawals. The Detroit Tigers are who we have right now since hockey and basketball seasons are over, and football season doesn't start until September. My Tiger is Brandon Inge this year.

Brandon's job with the Tigers was in question at the outset of the season. He played anyway.

Brandon's ability to think positive was challenged by a team that wasn't sure if they wanted him. He continued to think positive anyway.

Brandon played stellar at third base last season. Now he's more like a utility player for the Tigers. He plays third base, centerfield, catcher and more. His batting average was difficult to compare to the big bats on the team last year, but he continued to play defense and offense anyway.

Brandon is one of the most tenacious, professional, positive thinking and versatile players on the team. For these reasons, he is my Tiger. If the team ever decided to elect a captain, he'd be my choice.

Who's your Tiger and why?

I could be wrong, but  wasn't catcher, Brad Ausmus, the last Detroit Tiger team captain? That would go back a few years. Will someone from the current 2008 team step-up and become the captain? It could make all the difference between winning and losing as the season unfolds.

For the life of me, I've been trying to figure out the winning and losing ways of the team this year, and what could make the Detroit Tigers better.

The Tigers have the talent from an elite pool of professional baseball players. Our skipper, Jim Leyland, is second only to Sparky (my opinion, based on everything being equal, Sparky had the PR skills). A loyal fan base has been developed and achieved, based on the scouts doing their jobs, Mr. Illitch building a new dynasty and the team playing exceptionally well for the past few years. What is the missing link? My answer: The team needs a captain, a leader of men.

Here are some prerequisites to becoming the team captain for our Detroit Tigers:

1. Veteran player.
2. Someone who leads by example.
3. Has the ability to view conflict and confrontation as opportunities for professional and personal growth rather than barriers to winning.
4. Knows how to collaborate, teaching everybody how to work together as a team from the dugout to the lockerroom, on the diamond to the stands and in the front office.

For anybody on the team who might be interested in stepping-up, if you need an example of a role model, here is your homework assignment: Study the attitude, professionalism and behavior of Captain Nick Lidstrom from the Detroit Red Wings!

There you go. I said it. The Detroit Tigers need a team captain. Will somebody please step-up! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_and_weapons_of_ma
ss_destruction

Lots of blame to go around and still many unanswered questions!

Has anybody else noticed how the Red Wings are winning games? If there is any physicality, it is clean, nothing dirty. No retaliation. Frustration levels are being managed on a professional level.

When the Wings finish off Dallas and move on to play either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia to win the Stanley Cup, they can hold their heads up high because they're doing it in a professional manner. They are excellent role models for our youth, who desperately need to be reminded that you can win or lose AND be a good sport about it. Thus far, the team has kept their composure very well.

Thank you, Mike Babcock, for teaching the team nothing less. 

On another note, some commentators, including Don Cherry, who later retracted his comments, have stated that the seats at the Joe are not filled because the fans want the Wings to show more brute force to make the game more exciting. I disagree. All home play-off games are sold out. The reason some of the seats are empty during a game is because fans do need to leave their seats to use the bathroom. Anybody who has used the bathroom at the Joe during a Red Wings game knows the lines are anything but short.

Go, fans. Go, Wings!

It's getting more and more expensive to buy food. The basics like bread, milk and eggs cost a lot more than last year. Places like Costco and Sams Club recently began to ration rice due to a global shortage. Those are some obvious differences from a year ago. What about the subtle changes going on?

The top two that come to mind for me are Breyer's ice cream and a Wendy's Junior Bacon cheeseburger.

Has anybody else noticed that the price for Breyer's ice cream has remained the same, but the quantity of ice cream in the carton has gone down? What was once in a 1.75 quart container is now in a 1.5 quart container. Same price, less volume.

When Wendy's restaurant introduced their 99 cent sandwiches, the junior bacon cheeseburger was one of them. It originally had one hamburger, a slice of cheese, two pieces of bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo and a bun. After some years of success, this sandwich increased in price to $1.29, but wasn't selling as well as when it cost 99 cents. Wendy's then decided to move it back to their new $1.00 menu, but took off one of the pieces of bacon. Recently, I've noticed the same sandwich is still priced at one dollar, but looks a lot smaller. I suppose Wendy's changed the definition of the word, "junior".

I might get some comments about my once-in-awhile diet, but my point is more about what some companies are doing to compensate for their economic losses during this very challenging time in our economy.

Any other examples?

Senior Web producer, Mike Reed, wrote a post on 4-23-08 entitled, "My Favorite Eats". Besides making me feel hungry at 8:30 in the morning, it inspired me to post the following parody as sung to me by my favorite future mother-in-law, Lois Luzenski, while we ate breakfast and read Fox 2 blogs while vacationing in Florida.

Author Unknown.

I took my gal to the restaurant, the finest in the street. She said she wasn't hungry, but this is what she eat: A dozen raw, a plate of slaw, a chicken and a roast. Some apple sauce, asparagus and soft shell crabs on toast.

The next thing she tried was oysters fried, her appetite was immense. When she yelled for pie, I thought I'd die - for I had but 50 cents.

To finish off this delicate girl, she cleaned out an ice-cream can. She said she'd tell her mother, "What a fine young man".

She said she'd bring her sister, too, the next time she came for fun. I hand the man the 50 cents, and this is what he done:

He tore my clothes, smashed my nose, with me wiped the floor. Gave me a prize, a pair of black eyes, for the girl that I adore.

Then took me where my pants were loose and threw me over the fence. Take my advice, don't try it twice, when you have but 50 cents.

What's your favorite parody you can remember?

As of this writing, 4-13-08, the Detroit Tigers are 2-10. Wow! What a dismal start for a team that is expected to win the world series in 2008 because Mr. Ilitch and Mr. Dombrowski paid some big bucks for some big names. You'd think both of them would've learned a lesson from George Steinbrenner's pattern of trying to buy a world series.

Woody used the phrase, "Fat Cat Comfort" to describe a Detroit Tigers team whose players have been paid big money and have security. I, too, have a take on the pitfalls of trying to buy a world series the way the Yankees have historically tried to do, and apparently now, the Tigers.

http://stooltimecounseling.blogspot.com/2007/02/mon
ey-manure-and-professional-athletes.html

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

Where's Sean "The Mayor" Casey when you need him? He was traded to Boston, where he is utilizing his baseball and "Mayor" skills. Maybe that's what the Tigers are lacking this year: Honest mayoral skills in the lockerroom and dugout. 

I believe the Tigers have lost sight of themselves in their quest to be the best in MLB, and that has contributed to their failure thus far. I suggest the Tigers need to "Fail Forward" by listening to the words of Henry Ford, who said, "Failure is the only opportunity to begin again more intelligently". With 150 games left in the 2008 season, "Fail Forward", Detroit Tigers!

As a fan, I am struck at Jim Leyland's response to a reporter's question after Sunday's 11-0 loss to the White Sox. Leyland was asked, "What do you tell the guys in the lockerroom after a loss like this"? Leyland responded, "It's none of your business"! Not only does the response sound defensive, it shows me Leyland's inability to view failure thus far as an opportunity to do better, at least during the heat of the moment. I'm not saying I can do better, but come on. To me, nobody deserves what the team has done to date. The Tigers organization is better than that!

FAIL FORWARD, DETROIT TIGERS!

A man died and went to heaven. As he stood in front of St. Peter at the pearly gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him. He asked, "Why are all those clocks here"?

St. Peter answered, "Those are lie-clocks. Everyone on earth has a lie clock. Every time you lie, the hands on your clock move".

"Oh", replied the man, "Very interesting ... whose clock is that"?

"That's Mother Teresa's clock", answered St. Peter. "The hands have never moved, indicating that she has never told a lie".

"Incredible"! exclaimed the man. "And whose clock is that one"?

St. Peter responded, "That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved only twice, telling us that Abe has told only two lies in his entire life".

"Where's Kwame Kilpatrick's clock"? asked the man.

"Kwame's clock is in Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan", answered St. Peter.

Adult Tiger fans going to Comerica Park to enjoy watching the boys play baseball can no longer buy beer at the park. The Tigers lost the opener on March 31st, 2008!